Sacrifice: Redemption
by Carrie88
Summary: Sephiroth is gone. Genesis and Tifa are slowly connecting with each other, trying to get past their shared pain at Sephiroth's hands. But when Cloud calls Tifa about a child who has his face and Sephiroth's eyes, Genesis and Tifa return to Midgar both intent on making sure Sephiroth hasn't found a way back from the Lifestream. Genesis/Tifa & Cloud/Cissnei. Rated M for Language.


Author's Note: Shame on me! Starting something new while working on The Path We Choose? I'm naughty! But the sequel to Sacrifice has arrived! Seriously, this has been sitting on my desktop for a while and I thought I may as well post it while my updates to The Path We Choose are so sluggish! Anyway, this story is going to feature a new OC and sadly, he's not mine. I am shamelessly borrowing him from my lovely beta **Sephiroth Owa13 **who was kind enough to let me borrow him. Thanks girl! Also, I'm putting this up unbeta'd. I'm giving her a break because of some recent computer drama in her life, so any mistakes are mine! I hope you all enjoy this story. :)

Disclaimer: Still not mine, *sigh* but I'm learning to deal with it. Also not mine, the OC Kai Strife.

* * *

**Sacrifice: Redemption**

**Prologue**

Cloud opened the door. The look on Vincent's face was hard to decipher as to whether this was a good visit, or a bad one.

"Cloud, we need to talk."

It was _definitely_ a bad one.

Cloud stepped aside and gestured for Vincent to enter the bar. "You know, an opening line like that is pretty ominous, Vincent."

"What I have to say is not news I'm anticipating will be met with happiness from you, Cloud."

Cloud sighed. "Vincent, just spit it out. This dragging it out is painful."

Vincent arched an eyebrow. "You have a son."

Cloud's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "I have a – I've been locked away in a tube for ten years! How could I have fathered a son?"

Vincent rested his right hand on Cloud's left shoulder. "Yes, you were locked in a tube for ten years…with Hojo as your keeper."

Cloud felt his stomach drop and suddenly, it was getting harder to breathe. He stepped back and dropped to one of the stools. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't have a child out there, not one created by a madman. What would be the purpose of using his DNA to create a child? He wasn't anything special. Yes, he had defeated Sephiroth in Nibelheim with no mako enhancements, and then again during Meteor, but – Cloud lifted his head and narrowed his eyes.

"Show me the boy."

oOo

Cloud tilted his head to the side and looked at the ten year old child in the observation room while he played. He looked just like Cloud had at that age. Well, except for a very familiar pair of green cat-eyes. It seemed so wrong to see something that reminded him of true evil with a face so young and all too similar to a face he grew up looking at in the mirror.

He turned his head and looked at Reeve. "Clearly Hojo fucked around with splicing my DNA with Sephiroth's."

Reeve nodded. "Clearly."

"Does he have Sephiroth's powers? Like teleporting? Telekinesis? The ability to cast with no materia? Projecting?" Cloud was hoping the answer was no.

"Yes, he does, Cloud." Reeve paused and hesitantly rested his hand on Cloud's shoulder. "We found him a couple of days after Tifa killed Sephiroth. We didn't tell you because he was very ill and we weren't even sure he'd live. But now that he's healthy, we thought it was time to reunite him with his father."

Cloud looked at Reeve. "I'm not his father."

"You are the only living relative that boy has, Cloud."

Vincent moved to stand between Cloud and his view of the boy. "Cloud, that boy is an innocent. He didn't ask to become Hojo's project, just like neither of us did."

Reeve drew the blinds, blocking Cloud's view of the room completely. "He's not using his powers on purpose, Cloud. They seem to be…instinctual, or even accidental. He's not malicious. He's just a normal child."

Cloud grunted. "Yeah, a child with the ability to become a vessel for Sephiroth's return."

Vincent shook his head. "If that was the case, he wouldn't have been an abandoned experiment. He would have been the Sephiroth that was killed a few months ago."

Reeve stood beside Vincent. "If I thought the boy was any threat to you or anyone else, I wouldn't let him leave this facility."

"I can't do this." Cloud began to pace the small observations room. "I'm reconnecting with Denzel, Marlene is finally settling into school, and a regular routine…I'm just getting back to normal myself! A child – a mini version of Sephiroth, no less – I can't give him what he needs. And what would Tifa think, a child that's just as much Sephiroth as he is me, living under the same roof as two people she's basically raised?"

"Cloud, do you honestly believe that Tifa would do anything other than take that boy in?" Reeve shook his head.

"He's right." Vincent stood in Cloud's path, leaving him no other choice than to make eye contact. "Tifa would take him in without hesitation."

Cloud sighed. They were right. Tifa would take the kid in, no questions asked.

He side-stepped Vincent, and walked over to the window, pulling the curtains back again. He stared at the young boy, playing with a red-headed woman. He was smiling and seemed so…_normal_.

Cloud's eyebrows drew together. "Who is that with him?"

Reeve stood beside him. "Her name is Cissnei. She's a Turk."

Cloud shook his head. "I don't remember her."

"Most of the Turks disappeared after Meteor, assumed to be dead." Reeve shrugged. "And then Sephiroth returned. Some of them remained in hiding, doing their part for the resistance. With Sephiroth gone, Tseng recalled whoever survived back to Midgar-Edge."

Cloud nodded. "The kid seems attached to her."

"He's been under constant watch since his discovery." Vincent kept his eyes on the boy while he interacted with Cissnei. "She'll be watching him constantly, and she's agreed to stay with you until you decide you no longer need her assistance, Cloud."

_Great_, he thought to himself. _A kid with my face and Sephiroth's DNA, and a Turk living under my roof while I'm trying to get back to being normal. Fantastic._

Cloud turned, and looked at both Reeve, and Vincent. "I'm not making a decision until I talk to Tifa."

* * *

Tifa smiled when Genesis walked in with two cups of coffee.

Even though they hadn't known each other very long, she felt as if she'd known Genesis for years. He knew how to make her smile when she'd rather mope. He could make her laugh, when all she wanted to do was cry. He had been there with her in her lowest moments, yet all he saw was her strength…even though she only saw her weakness.

Genesis smiled when she took the coffee he offered her. "Just as requested: full of cream and sugar so it barely resembles coffee."

Tifa laughed softly. "Hey, don't judge me. Not everyone can stomach coffee in its natural form like you."

Genesis grinned. "I blame all my years of smoking. I can't taste a damn thing if it's not a strong flavor." His grin warmed to a smile and he rested his hand on her thigh, squeezing it lightly. "Or something so delectable that I commit its taste to memory."

Tifa felt her cheeks heat with a blush. The way he smiled at her, the way his voice sounded, and even the glow in his eyes made her feel like a silly school girl with a crush.

The enchanting spell that was weaving itself together was broken when her PHS rang.

"Sorry, Genesis. I can't think who – " A frown creased her brow when she pulled the PHS out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID.

Genesis looked at her. "Tifa? What's wrong?"

"It's Cloud. He never calls" She flipped it open, and pressed it to her ear. "Cloud?"

She listened to everything he was saying, but stopped really taking it all in when she heard him say something about having a son with Sephiroth's DNA mixed with his.

Tifa suddenly became aware of Cloud talking to her. "No, I heard you. I'll talk to Genesis, and we'll be there as soon as possible."

"Tifa? What's wrong?"

She closed her phone and looked up at Genesis. "We have to go back to Midgar-Edge."

He nodded. "Of course, but can you tell me what's happened? You look quite pale, as if you've seen a ghost. Are Denzel and Marlene alright?"

Tifa looked at Genesis. "Sephiroth may have a way to come back after all, Genesis."


End file.
